Penn State programs strong in QS World University Rankings by Subject

Out of 30 subjects evaluated, Penn State ranks among the top 200 institutions in 29 subjects, placing the University in the top tier of institutions. The 30th subject, pharmacy, is not applicable to Penn State.

The University ranks ninth in agriculture and forestry; 12th in materials science; 10th in geography; 25th in Earth and marine sciences; 27th in education; 33rd in mechanical engineering; 40th in biological sciences; and 46th in communication and media studies.

Now in its third year, the QS World University Rankings by Subject is an extension of the overall QS World University Rankings. According to the company's website, the by-subject rankings are designed to "provide comparative information at discipline level and to highlight the excellence of institutions in specialist areas."

The by-subject rankings' methodology draws six indicators together -- academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty-student ratio, proportion of international students and proportion of international faculty -- to form an international ranking of universities.